Coal mine haulage vehicle



Oct. '10, 1944. R. s. BIGELOW 5 ,8 COAL MINE HAULAGE, VEHICLE FiledJuly-3l, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I in Get. 10, 1944. BIGELQW 2,359,889

con. MINE HAULAGE VEHICLE Filed July 51, 1943. s SheetsSheet 2'Il/l/l/III/l/l/IiII/II/ii lllllll lllll VII/I IIIIIII!IIII/I;IIIII/II167 .312

Oct. 10, 1944. R; s. BIGELOW 2,359,889

COAL MINE HAULAGE vmucm:

Filed July 51, 1943 s She'eis-Sheet s Patented Oct. 1944 COAL MINEHAULAGE VEHICLE Roy S; Bigelow, Chicago, Ill., assignor to GoodmanManufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of IllinoisApplication July 31, 1943, Serial No. 496,861

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in coal mine haulage vehiclescommonly known as shuttle cars, adapted to transport coal or othermaterial from the working places of mines underground Shuttle cars areusually mounted on rubber tired driving and steering wheels and arepropelled by electric motors, by power derived from storage batteriescarried by the car. These cars usually consist of an open end framehaving a conveyer forming the bottom of the material carryingcompartment of the car, which serves to progress the material towardsthe front end of the car during loading and to discharge the materialbeyond the front end of the car during unloading. Heretofore, theconveyorhas been of the chain and flight type, requiring considerablepower to move the coal along the stationary bottom plate of the car, anddue to the restricted working conditions underground it has beendithcult to provide suflicient battery capacity to propel the car andoperate the conveyer for an entire working shift.

The device of my present invention has as its principal objects toremedy these diifflculties by increasing the efiioiency of the conveyingmedium oi the car, 'by providing a continuous belt conveyer supported ona plurality of spaced antiiriction idlers, in place of the usual chainand flight conveyer riding along a stationary bottom plate. a

Another object of my invention is to provide a shuttle car of the classdescribed wherein a continuous belt conveyer forms the bottom of theload carrying compartment of the car, and wherein the discharg end ofthis belt conveyer is so arranged that it forms a closure member for thefront end .of the car, so as to prevent material from spilling from theend of the car, during-traveling of the car about a mine.

Other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as thefollowing specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Figure 1,is a fragmentary top plan view of a conveyer car constructed inaccordance with my invention;

Figur 2 is a view in side elevation of the car shown in Figur 1, drawnto a slightly smaller scale thanFlgur'e 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged Viewin side elevation o! the front part of the car, with certain parts shownin longitudinal section, in order to more clearly illustrate certaindetails 01 my invention;

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation drawn to 1 r to provide spaces forstorage batteries and elecsubstantially the same scale as Figure 3, withthe discharge end of the conveyer tiltedupwardly, to form a closuremember for the front nd of the car;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 ofFigure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along lin 66 of Figure3; and

Figure 7' is a sectional view taken substantially along line l'! ofFigure 3.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in thedrawings, a coal haulage vehicle or shuttle car is indicated generallyat Ill. Said vehicle consists of an elongated chassis ll including apair of vertically extending laterally spaced side walls l2, l2extending the full length of the vehicle and forming the side walls of acoal carrying compartment l3 thereof. The receiving end of the car isflared outwardly as indicated by reference characters ll, M, tofacilitate loading by the {boom of a loading machine, and the bottom ofthe material carrying compartment of the car is defined by a conveyerindicated by reference character l5.

The chassis also includes two rubber tired drive wheels I 6, l6,suitably mounted on the side walls l2, [2, near the rear of the machine,and two rubber tired steering wheels l1, l1 near the 'front of niypresentinvention, so not herein shown or described in detail. Thesteering wheels I], I1 mounted on the equalizing axle structure I8 aresteered by means of a hand steering wheel 20 mounted in an operatorscompartment 2|, dis-w posed to one side of one side wall 12, in a wellknown manner, which is no part of my present invention. 1

The side walls l2, l2 have deck plates 22, 22 extending laterally fromtheir upper edges along opposite sides of the vehicle, which merge withcurved fenders 23 and 24, which form individual wells for the front andrearwheels respectively. Suitabl compartments 25, 25 ar provided alongthe outer sides of the side walls l2, l2 between the wheel wells andbelow the deck plates 22, 22,

trical control equipment of the usual kind.

The side walls l2, l2 are cross connected, adjacent the front axlestructure I8 by means of a top plate 21 forming a shoe along which theupper run of the conveyer rides, and by means of a pair oflongitudinally spaced angles 29, 29 forming a support for the cross axlestructure I9. A top plate or shoe 38 disposed adjacent the rear wheelsalso serves to connect said side walls together, and a bottom plate 3|connecting the bottom margins of the side walls together, below thelower run of the conveyer, serves to stiffen the chassis structure. Aplurality of relatively closely longitudinally spaced tie rods 32, 32extend between said side walls and also serve as a cross connectingmeans therefor. Said tie rods have ball bearings 33, 33 mounted thereon,which have idler rollers 34, 34 mounted thereon, for supporting theupper run of the conveyer.

A shield 31 extends horizontally across the rear of the materialcarrying compartment I3 between the side walls I 2, I2. Said shield isarched upwardly at a level somewhat above the level of the conveyer andterminates into a rear bumper 38. This shield and bumper serve toprotect the conveyer from the loading boom of a loading machine whensaid loading boom is extended directly into the rear end of the carduring loadmg, besides serving as a reinforcing and cross connectingmeans for the frame of the vehicle.

Referring now in particular to the conveyer I5, an endless belt 40having transverse flights 4|, 4| mounted on the outer side thereof,forms the bottom of the material carrying compartment I3. Said belt issupported on the idler rollers 34, 34 and the top plates 21 and 30 andistrained around an idler roller 42 at the receiving end of the car.Said idler roller is rotatably mounted beneath the shield 31 forlongitudinal adjustment, to take up slack in the conveyer, and is 'soadjusted and held in adjusted position by means of threaded bolts 35,35. Said belt extends from said idler roller over the idler rollers 34,34 and shoes 2! and 30, and over a plate 39 at the discharge end of thecar. Said plate connects the sides 43, 43 of a hinged end dischargedframe 44 together. Said end frame extends beyond the front end of thecarwhen the conveyer is positioned for discharging its load and willhereinafter be more fully described as this specification proceeds. Fromsaid last mentioned plate said belt passes to and around a drive roller45 at the forward or discharge end of the car. and over an arched shoe46, mounted between the sides 43, 43 and serving to increase the wrap ofthe belt as it passes around said drive roller. From thence said beltpasses under a transverse guide shoe 41, connected between the sidewalls I2, I2, which has an upwardly curved forward end which serves toguide and to place an even curve on the lower run of the belt,'when saidhinged end frame 44 is swung to anupwardly inclined position.

Retaining plates 48, 43 extend inwardly from the-side walls I2, I2 for agreater part of the length of the car and are engaged by the upper.

sides of the flights 4|, 4| and serve as a guide therefor, and alsoserve to prevent material from lodging between the edges of the belt 40and said side walls. The forward ends of said retaining plates are baredupwardly asindicated by reference character 49, to bend the belt and tocause it to conform to the form of the hinged-end frame 44 when saidhinged end frame and the discharge end of the belt are pivoted upwardly,to

igrm a'closure member for the forward end of e car.

versely extending tie rod 52 mounted between the side walls I2, I2. Saidtie rod is encircled by sleeves 53, 53 extending inwardly of and formedintegrally with the sides 43, 43 of said closure member.

The drive roller 45 is mounted at the forward end of the sides 43, 43 ona transverse shaft 54 journaled on hearing blocks 55, 55 slidablymounted in guides 56, 56 extending longitudinally of said sides andopening at the forward ends thereof. Said guides are formed by slots 51,5! cut in said sides and by parallel spaced plates 58, 58, secured 'tothe outer sides of said sides and extending outwardly therefrom inalignment with the upper and lower margins of said sides.

The drive roller 45 is urged in a position towards the forward ends ofsaid slots, to maintain the tension of the belt uniform in all positionsof The hinged end frame 4 is mounted on a trans- 15 adjustment of theend frame 44, by means of compression springs 59, 59. Said compressionsprings abut the bearing blocks 55, 55 at one of their ends and abutlugs 60, 60, projecting laterally from the outer sides of said hingedend frame, at their opposite ends. Said compression springs encircledthreaded rods 6|, 6| slidably guided in the lugs 60, 50' and threaded insaid bearing blocks 55, 55. v

The transverse shaft 54 is suitably driven from an electric motor 65,herein mounted on the outer side of the side wall I2, opposite from theoperators platform 2|. Said motor is suitably connected to said drive.shaft through aworm and worm gear reduction, in a casing indicatedgenerally at 66, and a chain and sprocket drive 61, driven by the wormof said worm and Worm gear reduction, the driving sprocket of whichchain and sprocket drive is coaxial with thepivotal axis of the endframe 44.

A plurality of fluid pressure cylinders 69, 69, mounted on the outersides of the side frame members I2, I2, are provided to elevate thehinged end frame 44 and the forward end of the conveyer I5 about theaxis of the tie rod 52, so as to close the forward end of the car whentravelling about the mine. Said fluid pressure cylinders, as hereinshown, are suitably mounted on the outer sides of the side walls I2, l2and have piston rods I0, Ill extensible therefromand connected at theirforward ends to blocks 1|, 1|, slidably mounted in longitudinal guidesI2, I2 extending along the outer sides of said side frame members.- Eachof said blocks, as herein shown, has the rear end of apiston rod I0 andthe rear end of a link I3 connected thereto on a bolt I4. Said boltextends through said link, piston rod, and block, and through a slot I5extending longitudinally of said side wall. The opposite end of saidlink is pivotally connected to a block I6, which is slidably guided inthe guide 12 by means of a bolt 11, extending through said link andblock and through the slot I5. Said bolt also has a link I9 pivotallyconnected thereto, the opposite end of'which link is pivotally connectedto the upper end of an ear 80, secured to and projecting upwardly fromthe upper plate 58 of the guide 56. A cross frame member 8| extendingacross the forward end of the frame I is provided to limit downwardmovement of said hinged end frame. A fluid pump 83 driven from the motor55 is provided to supply fluid under pressure to said cylinders and tothe brakes of the car.

sion and release 'of fluid to and from said cylinders. v

When fluid under pressure enters the .piston rod ends of the cylinders88, 69, the closure members and discharge end of the belt will beelevated about the axis of the tie rod 52, to

'close the discharge or forwardend of the ma- The release of fluid fromthe piston rod ends of said cylinders and the application of fluid underpressure to the head ends of said cylinders will lower the discharge endof the belt and place it in position to discharge material onto the car.

It should here be noted that the belt may be driven when in a positionto close the discharge end of the car, so as to progress material fromthe receiving to discharge end of the car during theloading operation,but that the belt is usually in a horizontally extended position duringloading of the car, until material has been progressed to the forwardend of the car, at which time the discharge end ofthe belt is pivotedupwardly, to close this end of the car, for driving of the car about themine.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my inventionmay be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof andthe arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to beconstrued as limiting my invention to the specific embodimentillustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1; In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a frame open atits ends and having a pair of laterally spaced side walls defining thesides of the material carrying compartment of the vehicle, and meansforming a bottom for the material carrying compartment of said vehicleand adapted to progress material from the receiving to discharge end ofsaid frame during loading, and to unload said vehicle by power includinga plurality of closely spaced idler rollers spaced along said frame andan endless conveyer belt supported on said idler rollers.

2. In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a frame open atits ends and having a pair of laterally spaced side walls defining thesides of the material carrying compartment of the vehicle, and means forprogressing matesaid sidewalls for substantially the full length of saidframe and forming a connecting and stiffening structure therefor,closely spaced antifriction idler rollers mounted on said tie rods, anda'conveyer belt having flights on the upper side thereof supported onsaid idler rollers.

4. In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a frame open atits ends and having a pair of laterally spaced side walls defining thesides of the material carrying compartment of the vehicle, a pluralityof idler rollers extending along said frame for substantially the fulllength thereof, a tilting frame transversely pivoted between said. sidewalls and extending beyond the forward end thereof, drive means on theforward end of said tilting frame including a power driven roller, aconveyer belt having flights on the upper side thereof supported on saididler rollersand extending around and driven from said drive ing frame,an upwardlyfarched shoe extending across the lower portion of saidtilting frame and adaptedto engage the lower runof the belt as it passesaround said drive roller to maintain a predetermined wrap thereof aroundsaid drive roller, and a bending shoe mounted between the side walls ofsaid frame and having an upturned end projectingbeyond the transversepivot of said tilting frame to place a predetermined bend on said beltas said tilting frame is moved into an upwardly tilted position.

5. In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a frame open atits ends and having a pair ofilaterally spaced side walls defining thesides of the material carrying compartment of the vehicle, a pluralityof idler rollers extending along said frame for substantially its entirelength, a conveyer belt having flights on the outer side thereofsupported on said idlers and forming a bottom for the material carryingcompartment of said frame, a tilting frame transversely pivoted betweenthe side walls of said a frame and extending beyond the forward endthereof and forming a support for said belt beyond the forward end ofsaid frame, a power driven drive roller at the forward end of saidtilting frame, forming a drive means for said belt, means for movingsaid tilting frame in an upward direction to cause said conveyer belt toform a closure means for the forward end of said frame, and means forcausing said conveyer belt to conform to the form of said tilting framewhen in an upwardly tilted position and to be driven by said driveroller in all posisaid frame for substantially the full length thereof,and a conveyer belt having flights on the upper side thereof extendingbeyond the forward end of said frame and supported on said idler rollersfor substantially the full length of said frame and forming a bottom forthe material carrying compartment of said vehicle.

3. In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a frame openat'its ends and having a pair of laterally spaced side walls definingthe sides of the material carrying compartment of the vehicle, and meansforming a bottom for the tions of adjustment of said tilting frameincluding retaining plates extending inwardly from the side walls ofsaid frame, for engagea pair of laterally spaced side walls deflning thesides of the material carrying compartment of thevehic'le, a pluralityof idler rollers extending along said frame for substantially itsenincluding a plurality of tie rods extending across tire length, aconveyer belt having flights on the forming a bottom for the materialcarrying compartment of said frame, a tilting frame transversely pivotedbetween the side walls of said frame and extending beyond the forwardend thereof and forming a support for said belt be yond the forward endof said frame, a power driven drive roller at the forward end of saidtilting frame, forming a drive means for said belt, means for movingsaid tilting frame in an upward direction to cause said conveyer belt toform a closure means for the forward end of said frame, and means forcausing said conveyer belt to conform to the form of said tilting framewhen in an upwardly tilted position and to be driven by said driveroller in all positions of adjustment of said drive roller includingretaining plates extendinginwardly from the side walls of said frame,for engagement with the ends of the upper sides of said flights, saidretaining plates having upwardly curved forward ends inclined atsubstantially the maximum angle of inclination 'of said tilting frame,said curved forward ends extending over the pivotal axis of said tiltingframe and being adapted to engage the upper run of said belt, and abending shoe mounted between the side walls of said frame and having anupturned end projecting beyond the transverse pivot of said tiltingframe and. adapted to engage the inside of the lower run of the belt toplace a predetermined bend hereon as said belt is moved intoan upwardlytilted position.

7. In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a frame open atits ends and having a pair of laterally spaced side walls defining thesides of the material carrying compartment of the vehicle, a pluralityof idler rollers extending along said frame for substantially its entirelength, a conveyer belt having flights on the outer side thereofsupported on said idlers and forming a bottom for the material carryingcompartment of said frame, a tilting frame transfining the sides of thematerial carrying com-' partment of the vehicle, a conveyer extendingalong said frame for substantially its entire length and including anendless belt forming a bottom for the material carrying compartment ofsaid vehicle, a tilting frame transversely pivoted between the sidewalls of said frame and extending in advance of the forward end of saidframe and forming a support for said belt beyond the forward end of saidframe, and means for placing a bend in said belt to cause said belt toconform to the form of said tilting frame when in an upwardly tiltedposition including retaining plates extending inwardly from the sidewalls-of said frame, for engagement with the upper run of said belt,said retaining plates having upwardly curved forward ends inclined atthe maximum angle of inclination of said tilting frame, said curvedforward ends extending over the pivot point of said tilting frame andbeing positioned to engage and bend said belt as said tilting frame ismoved to a position to close the forward end of said vehicle.

9. In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a frame open atits ends and having a pair of laterally spaced side walls defining thesides of the material carrying compartment of the vehicle, a conveyerextending along said frame for substantially its entire length andincluding an endless belt forming a bottom for the material carryingcompartment of said vehicle, a tilting frame transversely pivotedbetween the side walls of said frame and extending in advance of theforward end of said frame and forming a support for said belt beyond theforward end of said frame, a power driven drive roller at the forwardend of said tilting frame, forming a drive means for said belt, meansfor swinging said tilting frame in an upward direction to cause saidbelt to form a closure for the forward end of said frame, and means forcausing said belt to conform to the form of said tilting frame when inan upwardly tilted position and to be versely pivoted between the sidewalls of said frame and extending beyond the forward end thereof andforming a support for said belt beyond the forward end of said frame, apower driven drive roller mounted on said tilting frame for slidablemovement with respect thereto and forming a drive means for said belt,means for moving said tilting frame in an upward direction, to causesaid conveyor belt to form a closure means for the forward'endof saidframe, means for causing said conveyerbelt to conform to the form ofsaid tilting frame and to be driven by said drive roller in allpositions of adjustment thereof including retaining plates extendinginwardly from the side walls of said frame and adapted to engage theupper sides of the ends of said flights and having upwardly curvedforward ends inclined at the maximum angle of inclination of saidtilting frame, a bend-' ing shoe mounted between the side walls of saidframe and having an upturned end projecting bedriven by said driveroller in all positions of said tilting frame including retaining platesextending inwardly from the side walls of said frame, for engagementwith the upper run of said belt, said retaining plates having upwardlyhaving-a pair of laterally spaced side walls decurved forward endsinclined at substantially the maximum angle of inclination of saidtilting frame, said curved forward ends extending over the pivotal axisof said tilting frame and being adapted to engage and bend said belt assaid tilting frame is moved to a position to close the forward end ofsaid vehicle.

' 10. In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a frame openat its ends and having a pair of laterally spaced side walls definingthe sides of the material carrying compartment of the vehicle, aconveyer extending along said frame for substantially its entire lengthand including an endless belt forming a bottom for thematerial carryingcompartment of said vehicle, a tilting 'frame transversely pivoted beingbeyond the transverse pivot of said tilting frame and adapted to engagethe inside of the lower run of the belt and bend said lower run of thebelt upon upward pivotal movement of said tilting frame.

11. In a mine haulage vehicle of the character described, a frame openat its ends and having a pair of laterally spaced side walls definingthe sides of the material carrying compartment of the vehicle, aconveyer extending along said frame for substantially its entire lengthand including an endless belt forming a bottom for the material carryingcompartment of said vehicle, a tilting frame transversely pivotedbetween the side walls of said frame and extending in advance of theforward end of said frame and forming a support for said belt beyond thefortion to cause said belt to form a closure for the forward end of saidframe, andmeans for causing said belt to conform to the form of saidtilting frame when in an upwardly tilted position and to be driven bysaid drive roller in all positions of said tilting frame, includingretaining plates extending inwardly from the side walls of said frame,for engagement with the upper run of said belt, said retaining plateshaving upwardly curved forward ends extending over the pivotal axis ofsaid tilting frame and being adapted to engage said belt as said tiltingframe is moved to a position to close the forward end of said vehicle,yieldable means for yieldably maintaining said drive roller in anoutwardly extended position with respect to said tilting frame, tomaintain substantially the same tension on said belt in all positions ofadjustment of said tilting frame, and a bending shoe mounted between theside walls of said frame-and having an upturned end projecting beyondthe transverse pivot ofsaid tilting frame and adapted to engage theinside of the lower run of said belt during upward tilting movement ofsaid tilting frame. a

ROY S. BIGELOW.

